With all the metal and springs, balls and hoops, a room at Well Body Pilates can be a bit overwhelming.
"People walk in and ask if it's a torture chamber. They don't know what's going on," said Elizabeth Wilkinson, owner of Well Body Pilates. "Then they get on the machines and they feel really good. So we try to break down that intimidation factor for sure."
Wilkinson brought this form of exercise back to her hometown, opening her studios on both the East and West sides of Nashville and says she's noticed more studios opening around Music City.
"I grew up in Nashville, born and raised, and then lived in New York and that's where I did the majority of my training," she said.
"Pilates is a system of movement. It is good for anyone, no matter if you're a professional athlete or you've been sitting on the couch for 20 years not exercising. Really whatever you do in your life, it'll help you do it better," she said.
The movements can look similar to yoga, but they're also very different.
So if you're feeling like stretching yourself and your workout, maybe it's time to try the machines.
"They look a little scary but they're really not," she said.
